Button-feeding mechanism



Sept. 8, 1925.

t@ MW/174;

@ttor M11 Sept. s, 1925.4 1,553,106

F'. G. lFURI'NTON BUTTON FEEDING MECHANISM Filed March 16, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 will mi Sept. s, V1925. 1,553,106

F. G. PURINTON BUTTON FEEDNG MECHANISM Filed March 1e, 1925, 3 sheets-sheet :s

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l!" i y j@ 3 6' Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

FORREST Gr. PURINTON, OF WATERBURY, BUTTON COMPANY, OF WATERBURY,

NTLCTICUT.

PATENT oFFlcE.

CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR/TO THE PATENT CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- BUTTON-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Application med March 1e, 1925. sei-iai No. 15,794.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, F oRREsT G. PURIN- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waterbury, in 'the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful VImprovements'in'Button-Feeding'Mechanisms, offwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new improvementsin button feeding mechanisms for automatic button attaching machines,

and more particularly to the button maga-y zine or hopper and the arrangement of the chute cooperating with the hopper.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, automatic button attaching machines comprise mechanism working in two separate Zones, that is, thereis a magazine or hopper and an esca-pement mechanism for lthe button heads, and likewise a 'separate hopper and magazine. for the tacks or staples. There is also a plunger for forcing the tacirs through the button heads, the several4 damagedbutton heads, or other causes, andY in the numerous types of button magazines now in use, when such a jam occurs, it is necessary to di'sassemble several of the parts to thus relieve the jam. f l f @ne of the principle objects of the present invention therefore. is to so construct. a vhopper or magazine for the button heads, which is arranged to he swuno` upwardly or tilted and thus disclose the chute, so that, 4if for any reason the button or buttons become jammed, either in the outlet from the hopper, or from the chute, they may loe quickly removed as with the hopper swung back or upwardly, the offending buttons may be easily perceived and readily reached by the operatorn .y 1

and 'useful Still another object of the invention is to kso construct the hopper with relation to the chute that the hopper may be tilted upwardly if the occasiony arises and at thesame time the tilting or elevating .of the chute will in no way interfere `with the means for revolving the hopper. Y

Another object of the inventionis .to construct a feeding mechanism for button heads which comprises a hopper and chute,.and to so arrange the hopper casing and .its cooperating parts that the hopper may be 'slowly butcontinuously rotated by; a belt whichY extendsdownwardly vto the driving means of the machine proper, thus vdoing away with the more expensive ratchet mechanismV which is now employed `on button attaching` ma,- chines, such a ratchet mechanism being shown in `a patent granted on December 2, 1913, Number 1,079,968. Still another object of the invention is to provide a button feeding mechanism cour prising a hopper and chute and a supporting' plate for the hopper and chute, while secured to the upper end of the plate there is an arm in which there is formed'a bearing, and inwhich bearing is mounted a plate which comprises a bottom for the hop-v per. This plate may be quickly and easily raised to therebyraise the hopper in its en.- tirety, to thus relieve any jam that might have occurred in the chute or the entrance thereto. I f

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bottom plate for the hopper, which is, as before mentioned, tiltable and to vwhich is secured an arm having mounted on its opposite sides two small sheaves or pulleys over which there is designed to pass a belt to he driven by the ,driving means of the vbutton attaching'machine This belt is designed to also rotate the casing of the hopper, the sheaves vand rhopper being so arranged `that when the latter is .raised or tilted, the pivotal axes of the sheaves will not material change, thus doing' away with the necessity of in any way disturbing the belt when itis desired to raise. the hopper to pick out an offending' button.

Still another object of the.V invention is to provide a hopper casing, a chute 'and a plate, the hopper casing slidingly fitting on et O Cil

the plate so t-hat the hopper casing may be bodily removed if desired, as well as being capable of simply a tilting action to pick out an offending button.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a button feeding mechanism comprising a hopper in the form of a casing which may be placed on a plate which forms the bottom of the hopper, the plate being tiltable with relation to the chute, the hopper casing being capable of a slow but continuous rotation, and so arrange the various parts that they may be quickly and readily interchanged on a button attaching machine, so that if for any reason, one part should become injured or damaged in use, it may be quickly removed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a non-rotatable plate which forms the bottom of a hopper and to provide this plate with an opening and dished portion so that a chute may protrude therethrough, also to so arrange the opening in the plate and a peripheral edge of the plato that those buttons which lie face downwardly will be guided and other buttons will drop from the entrance of the chute to the bottom of the hopper, thus providing a clear opening for `the properly faced buttons.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hopper casing which is designed to slip over a platform formed on a nonrotatable plate and to have the platform project slightly above the bottom of the casing to thus form a small ledge for supporting ,the buttons as they are rotated within the hopper casing, and to deflect a portion of the ledge, near an opening formed in the bottom plate in which opening registers a chute, so that a properly faced button will be guided towards the mouth of the chute and passed into the chute after the button leaves the influence of radial walls formed in the hopper casing.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hopper having a non-rotatable hopper bottom having a dished portion at its upper edge through which is cut an opening for the reception of the upper end of the chute, the upper end of the chute and the plate arranged to guide a properly faced button into the chute and to permit other buttons to quickly pass from the entrance to the bottom of the casing, thus always providing an obstructed passageway into the chute.

Still other objects of the invention are to provide a button feeding mechanism for automatic button attaching machines which will be extremely eflicient in service, easily constructed, quickly and readily assembled and comprising buta minimum number of parts, and therefore relatively cheap to manufacture.

nasales Still another object of the invention is to provide a hopper with a wide openingV the specification and claims, l contemplate` a feeding mechanism for button heads, such as pants and shirt buttons, thin metallic shells such as used for making backs and fronts for overall buttons, sew-on buttons and discs. Furthermore, the feeding mechanism may be used for eyelets or fasteners without changing or departing from the spirit of the invention.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain new and novel arrangements and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

Referring now to the drawings showing a preferred embodiment of my invention,

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of my improved button feeding mechanism, showing the manner in which the hopper' is rotated, the casing of the hopper' being also "4 shown in dotted lines to show how it may be bodily removed, and the oscillating lever for the button attaching machine being shown in dotted line.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the hopper taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken on line 3 3 of Fig. i.

Fig. 4; is a sectional view, taken on line 1 -i of Figure l.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 5-'-5 of Fig. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows, the dotted lines showing how the hopper may be lift-ed or tilted to remove an obstructing button.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the button feeding mechanism, parts being broken away for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 7 is a detailed view of the escapement.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a perspective of the feeding mechanism showing the hopper swung upwardly.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective of the bottom plate of the hopper, the plate being elevated to show the relative positions of the upper end of the chute and the opening in the bottom plate.

y piece of by means ofthe bolts .7. The side Fig. 11r` is a perspective o-frtlieupper end of the chute, in a reversed position-L' Fig. 12 is a detailed perspective of the upper end of the' chute and taken from the same relative position as Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a perspective from the under side of the small plate shownin Fig. '10.

AReferring nowm'ore particularly kto the several views',=.there is shown a supporting arm 1 provided witlrthefholes 2, so that this arm "may be attached to va support of ainFig. 2. The sidewalls 8 are similar throughout their length with theexception of the upper end lo-f one side wall where a portion 9 is out out, as may be seen in Fig. 11, so that the upstanding wall 10 of this cutout portion is in alignment with a wall 11, (see Fig. 10), the latter wall being formed by dishing out a portion 12 in the bottoni of a plate 13 which forms the bottom of the hopper, which latter will be shortly described. l

y The metal trough 4, which is a part of the arm 5,'has its upper end slightlydished as at 14C for the salte of clearance, so that when the metal pla-te 13 is in its normal position, the end of the trough will not interfere with the pivotal axis` of the plate.

Fitting snugly within the trough and at its upper end, is aw small section 15 of a button chute, and registering with this small section 15 and lying within the trough is a longer chute section 16, (see Figs. 5, 6v

and 9) lthis section being in spiral formation near its lower end as at v17 sothat a buttonV head 18, as it passes down the chute will invert itself as is the general practice in chutes for button attaching machines.

*The chute 16 is cut away at its opposite sides as at 16 for the reception of the awsv of the escapeinent mechanism 19, this escape nient mechanism being shown and described in a patent granted October 26, 1915, Number 1,157,743, and in passing it might be mentioned that this escapeinent oscillates across the chute by contacting with the lug 53 on an oscillating lever 53 shown in dot-ted lines in Fig. 1. Y

The section 16 of the chute is secured in the trough 4 and as before mentioned registers with the section 15, the upper end of i thesection 15 having its side walls 2O and of Vthe button strikes' the side wall when it passesV onto the bottom 22 of the chute sectio-n 15, will contact with the edge 23 of theside wall 21 and will have moved slightly 20. v In other wordstheupper `end of this chute section 15l is so arranged that as the hopper is rotated and the button swipes or revolves onto the bottom wall 22, it will tendl to drop downwardly before the opposite edge [217 arranged differently at theirends` as Y' shown in Fig. 12, so that a button head,

as it will be rolled over the edge 23 until it completely enters the chute and its side will not impinge or strike the side wallv untilv it has moved partly down the chute.

rlhe side walls of the chute sectionl 15 are undercut to form the inwardly extending rims or flanges 24- and the one, the longer of the two, is slightly beveled on its top surface as at 25, corresponding to a small beveled surface 26 formed in the side wall 8 of the trough. r1`he bottoni plate 13 is provided with an opening '27, which willl be shortly described in detail, to permit the upperend of the section 15 to extend there-'lf hopperl is in its normal position, so that the buttons may pass intoV thro-ugh when tl e the chute, and the small beveled surfaces 26 permit a small auxiliary plate 28 i to be fastened iush on the bottom plate to thus cover the opening 2T in the bottom plate and to 'help guide a properly positioned button into the chute. This plate also helps in the rejection of buttons that are lying with their hubs downwardly, or ones that have missed the mouth of the chute. y p

This opening27 inthe plate 13 yandthe walls adjacent the opening fwill now be described more in detail, as the opening is the mouth or exit for the button heads into the chute and also receives the upper end of the chute.

As before mentioned, this bottom plate is dished as at 12, this dished portion occurring in the upper right hand corner of the plate,`

as may be seen in Fig.l 10, it being remembered that Fig. 10i shows the plate in its reversed or transposed position.' This dished portion extends across the opposite sides' of the opening 2'?, which opening, as heretofore mentioned, is of sufficient size to permit the plate 13 :to be swung downwardly over the projecting end of the chute section 15.` By starting this dished portion at ap-oint in the periphery of the plate'13,` a small Vguiding ledge orwall 29 is formed, and asa button contacts withthis wall 29, as will be herein-Y after mentioned, the button will be guided into the mouth' of the chute. v y

Theplate y2S is screwed to the plate 13 and is slightly undercut at one corner 29 and-is arranged to slightly overlie the wall or ledge' 29 so that this corner will project slightly over the button head and .tending to guide llO '- be seen in Fig. 3.

it as it rolls `into the chute. The plate is also slightly cut out as at'30, to allow the hub of the button to pass under the plate as the button registers 'in the chute, and there is a slightly beveled corner, as at 31, on the upper surface of the plate to prevent jams which would otherwise occur between the inside corners of the walls which form the button pockets in the annular ring and the shoulder o1 the plate 28.

Referring now more in particular to the plate 13, it will be seen that Ait is circular in outline and is provided with the flange 32, thus forming a seat for a ring 33 secured in the bottom of a 4hopper casing 34. The plate 13 extends slight-1y above the upper surface of the ring 33, as may be seen in Fig. 2, to form a ledge for the support of properly facing butto-ns. Formed integral with this plate 13 are the two arms which merge with a housing in the forni of a tro-ugh 36, asmay be clearly seen in Fig. 9.

In the upper ends of the arm 3.5 are formed the bearings 37 to pivotally engage a pintle 38, this pintle also passing through the bearing 6 formed in the upper'end'ot the arm 5. A set screw 39 passes through the bearing 6 and locks with the pintle 38, but

. the arms are free to swing on the pintle 38.

The width of the housing 3G is slightly greater than the width o1C the trough 4 so that when this housing 36 is swung downwardly to its normal position by a movement of the plate 13, it will box-in the trough 4 as may rllhis housing 36 has the central longitudinally extending groove 40 formed in its upper under surface and is cut out slightly as at 41 (Fig. 10) to permit the stem or shank of the buttons to pass downwardly through the plate.

The length of the trough 4 and the length of the housing 3G is such that their lower ends are flush as may be seen in Fig. 6. To one side of the housing 36 is secured a handle 42 so that when it is desired to raise the hopper and the plate and casing, it is only necessary to lift upthe. handle 42 yand makes. it then possible to force an offending button from either of the chute sections or from the entrance to the chute at the opening 27 in the p-late 13.

Referring now to the manner and arrange- Ament for imparting a rotary motion to the hopper casing, 1 have shown a plate 43 fastened to the under sur'laceo't the plate 13, by

means of the screws 44, while the outer end of this plate 43 is provided with two upstanding opposite lugs or flanges 45 in each off which is mounted a small sheave or pulley 46, the position of these sheaves being such that a belt 47 may pass over them and around and over a small belt pulley 48 driven by the drive wheel 49, this drive wheel 49'being driven by abelt 50. I have shown an eccentric 51 to which in turn is secured a-connecting1rod52 1extending to the oscillating lever 53 Vwhich operates the button attaching machine ,(not shown).

After the belt 47 passes over the she-ave 46, it fits within la v`groove 54 formed `in the ring 33, which, it wil-l be remembered is in the hopper casing.

Thus it wil be seen that as the main drive wheel 49 is rotated, the hop-per casing 34v will also be rotated, and at the same. time the axes of the sheaves 46 are such that the hopper may bey elevated to remove an offending button in the chute, without in .any way seriously fal'ectin-g the'rdriving or rotating'of the hopper casing.

Now, just a word as to the ring 33. As before mentioned, it is .provided on its outer periphery with the .groove 54, while on its upper surface there are provided a plurali-ty ot pockets which are formed by so cutting the ring that the small beveled walls 55 are left remaining, which wallsextend towards the inner circumference lof the ring 33 and their rea-r surfacesare flush with, and contact against the casing of the hopp'er 35.

The ring 33 is slightly beveled from its outer periphery to its inner periphery, as may be seen Yin Fig. 5, and this beveled surtace, together with the angular position `of the rota-ting Lairis of the hopper casing, causes the buttons, which arrange themselves in the pockets formed by theside walls 55, to slide from the4 pocket-sas they approach the vertical into the chut-e from which they are passed one by one by the escapemen't.

lt will be remembered that rthe `plate 13 extends slightly above the inner surface ot' the ring 33 forminga small ledge on which the buttons -rest as they Aapproach the vertical, as shown in Fig. l6, this a-rrangement being shown in the applicati-on filed by me on August 1, 1924, bearing Serial Number Tee-,564.

By forming the hopper eas-ing and ring as shown, I have -made it vpossible to not only tiltl or lift the hopper by tilting the plate 13, but l have also made it possible to 'quickly remove the hopper casing which carries the ring, as it simply rests on the plate V13, `the tlange-32 forming the seat.

The operation of the device is extremely simple and presupposing that there are a. number of button heads in the hopper, as the casing 34 is rotated by the belt 47, a button head, as it approaches the vertical, riding on the small ledge on 'the plate 13 `projecting above the ring, will drop or slide 'from one of its little ypockets as clearly shown in Fig. G, and impinge on the wall 29 and travel therealong, land as it lea-ves the influence of one of its walls 55 of its pocket, it "will pass onto the end of the chute, which it will be remembered extends through the opening in the bottom plate and pass down the two sections of the chute to the escapement 1 9, Where it Will beliberated in due course. y

Other button heads Which are not properly positioned, orV have not been carried up-v wardly on the small ledge will slip back to the bottom of the rotating hopper and thus keep the entrance to the chute free.

Now, due to the irregularities in seine of the button heads, should abutton at any time become jammed, either in thev chute, or the mouth of the chute, it is simply necessary to lift the handle 4t2 and thus raise the' plate and hopper casing to the position shown in Fig. 9 and With a pointed instrument, such as a screwdriver, the offending button may be quickly and easily removed from the top of the chute and the hopper again lowered to its regular position.. i

This may be done Without 'affecting the rotating means of the hopper, that is, Without taking any of the machine apart or removing the belt, as theV axes for the belt move with the swinging or tilting ofthe hopper; thus4 overcoming the delay Which Would otherwise be caused by a jammed button. v

Furthermore, the entire hopper casing may be quickly removed when so desired.

From the foregoing it vviil be seen that l have provided a feeding mechlanism for automatic button attaching machines Which is simple in construction, readily assembled and extremely efficient in action, and by providing a tiltable hopper and a ldriving mechanism, as shown, oending buttons may be quickly removed without delaying the speed `of the machine.

Again, by forming the several parts as above described, it is a simple matter to substitute any parte should they become damaged or Worn in service. A

Many slight changes might be made in the hopper casing and ring, or the arrangement of the chute, or the position of the sheaves, or the rotating mechanism for the hopper, Without in any Way depart-ing from the spirit and scope of the invention. v

' Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure l'by Letters Patent is l. Al feeding mechanism for b-utton attaching machines comprising a chute,l a rotatable hopper casing, a non-rotatable bottom plate supporting the casing and provided With an opening for alignment With said chute, and means for pivotally mounting said plate so that the hopper casing and plate may be elevated to remove an offending bottom from the chute.

2. A feedingmechanism for button attaching machines comprising a chute, a rotatable hopper casing, a non-rotatable bottom plate for the casing providedsvvith an opening for the reception of the upper end af Sad @leute ,said Plate Supporting said casing, and means for pivotally mounting said plate so that the hopper casing and plate may be elevated to remove an oending button from the chute and hopper.

3. A feeding mechanismvfor a button attaching machine comprising a chute, a rotatable hopper casing, ay non-rotatable bottom plate supporting the hopper casing provided with an opening for the reception of the upper end of said chute, means Lvengaging and Vsupporting the chute, and pivotal mounting means for said plate secured to said last means so that the plate may be elevated to afford free access to ythe chute.

4. A feeding mechanism for a button attaching machine comprising a chute, a rotatable hopper casing, a non-rotatable bottom plate supporting the casing, said casing being bodily vremovable from the plate, the

said bottom plate provided With an opening for the upper end of said chute, and pivotal mounting means for said plate so that the plate may be elevated to afford free access to the chute. 1

5. A feeding mechanism for a button attaching machine comprising a chute, a rotav table hopper casing having a bottom pro'- vided With a large central aperture, a nonrotatable bottom plate fitting Within the said aperture in thev casing, the said bottom plate provided With an opening for'the reception of the upper end of said chute, and pivotal mounting means for said plate so thatthe plate and hopper casing may be Ysvvung upwardly to afford free access to the chute.

6. A feeding -mechanism for button attaching machines comprising a chutea rotatable hopper` casing having a ring in the bottom thereof divided into a plurality of compartments, a plate fitting Within said ring and support-ing said casing and Ahaving an opening therein to receive the upper end of the chute, and means for pivotally mounting said plate beyondthe upper end of said chute so that the plate and hopper casing may be liftedupwardly to afford free `access to the chute.

7; A feeding mechanism for button atta-ching machines, comprising a chute, a rotatable hopper casing having ay ring in the bottom thereof, radial Walls extended rotatable hopper casing having a. ring in the bottoni thereof, radial walls extending from near the inner periphery of the. ring to the outer `periphery of the ring to provide a plurality of button compartments, said ring having a tapered upper surface and provided with a groove onits outer periphery, and a plate mounted in pivotal relation to said chute and providedwith an opening for the reception of the upper end of saidchute and adapted to be swung upwardly to provide free access to the chute.

9. A feeding mechanism for button attaching machines comprising a chute, a rotatablehopper casing having a ring at the bottom tl1e`reof said ring having a plurality of compartments formed thereon, the said compartments being open at their bottom,ba plate having a raisedportion piyotally mounted with relation to said chute for supporting the casing, the inner wall of said ringA engaging the raised portion of tsaid' plate, the said plate provided with an opening` to register. with said4 chute, and means for rotating the ring and thus the hopperl casing acting in substantially the plane ofI t-he'pivotal axis of the plate so that said` hopper casing and plate may be tilted upwardly withoutailiecting the rotating means ofsaid hopper.

10; A feeding mechanism for button attaching machines comprising a chute7 a rotatable hopper and casing, an inwardly extending annular ring, a plate pivotally mounted with relation to the chute and having a raised central portion to tightly lit within the ring of the hopper casing, said plate having an opening registering with said'chute, an arm entendingfrom said plate, guiding means on said arm on its outer end for `a belt, the axes of the guiding means being, substantially in the same horizontal plane'as the pivotal axis of the plate, saidA hopper provided with a peripheral groove for the reception of the belt, and a belt disposed in said peripheral groove and over said guiding means for rotating the hopper, said hopper thereby being ar- .angedfto be tilted upwardly to remove an offending button without affecting the rotatable driving means for the hopper.

1l. A feeding mechanism for button attaching machines comprising a chute, a rotatable? hopper casing having a metal bottomwall in the for-m o f a ring, a plate pivotally mounted with relation to the chute, saidplate being provided with a raised surface adapted to fit within the ring of the hopper casing, the said plate provided with an opening to receive the upper end of the chute, the top surface of the upper end of the plate lyingin the same plane with the top end of the chute, and thetop surface ofthe lowerend ofthe plate being in a plane above that .of the chute, and means for rotating the hopper acting in a plane substantially parallel with the pivotal axis of the plate to thereby allow the hopper to be raised without affecting the rotatable means for the hopper.

l2. A feeding mechanism for button attaching machines comprising` an arm having a bearing formed in its upper end, a chute supported in the lower portion of said' arm, a bottom plate pivotally mounted in the bearing of said armand normally extending downwardly over said chute and at an angle thereto, said plate provided with an opening to receive the upper end ofisaid chute` a hopper casing mountedA on said plate and supported thereby, a driving belt for said casing, and guiding means` for the driving belt associated with the plate and disposed iny a plane substantially parallel to that of thc pivotal axis, of the plate to allow the hopper to be raised without materially changing the position of, the guiding means.

13. A feeding mechanism for button at; taching machines comprising .a curved arm and a trough, forming a part of said arm, a bearing formed in the upper end of said arm, a pintle extending through saidy bearing, a plate having a similarly curved arm formed thereon and pivotally mounted on said pintle, a chute fitting within said trough and the plate provided with an opening to receive the upper end of said chute, and a rotatable hopper casing mounted on said plate, said plate and hopper casing adapted to be swung upwardly manually to provide lree access toisaid chute.

l/l, A feeding mechanism for button ab tachingmachines comprising an arin curved at its upper end and in the form ofA a trough at its lower end, a bearing formed the upper end of said arm, a pintle in said bearing, a plate having arms for ned on its under surfaces and their upper ends mounted on said pintle, the lower ends of the sait. last mentioned arms and a portion of the plate arranged to form a casing to` endl said trough when the plate is in its no a position, ai chute tightly fit-ting within said trough, the plate pr vided with an opening to receive the upper end of'saidLA chute, and a rotatable hopper casing mounted on said plate, said plate adapted to be tilted upwardly tothereby swing the casing and plate away from said chute to thereby provide free access to said, chute.

15. A feeding mechanismffor button attaching machines comprising an` arm curved at its upper end' and. having its remaining portion shaped to form a trough, a bearing' formedinthe upperiend of thearm, a pintle within'said bearing, a plate having spaced arms formed on its under surf-ace and the arms and apart of; theplat-e shaped to form a housing tov encase the troufrh when the plate isz in its normal position, said plate provided with an opening, a chute withir. said trough and extending beyond the upper end of said trough and' into the opening of said plate, and a rotatable hopper casing mounted on said plate, said plate adapted to be tilted upwardly to thereby remove the casing from the trough rmd provide free access to the chute.

16. ln a feeding mechanism `for button attaching machines a support, a trough secured to said support, an arm extending fromy the trough having a bearing formed therein, a pintlel within said bearing, a plate having arms thereon pivotally mounted on said pintle, abox-lihe casing merging with said arms on the plate and adapted `to enclose the said trough, the plate provided with an opening, a chute within the trough, the upper end of the chute registering with the opening in said plate, and a rotatable hopper casing on said plate, said plate adapted to be swung upwardly to afford free access to the chute.`

17. In a feeding mechanism for button attaching machines, a support, a trough secured to said support, an arm extending from the trough having a bearing formed therein, a pintle within said bearing, a plate.

having means thereon for engaging the pintle, a box-like casing open aty its bottom formed on the under surface of the plate adapted to enclose the Vtrough and provided with an opening, a 'chute within` the trough, the upper end of the chute registering with the opening in said plate, and a; rotatable; hopper casing on said plate, said plate adapted to be swung upwardly to afford free access to the chute. l

18. A feeding mechanism for button atf taching machines comprisingl a support, a

trough secured thereto, an arm extending from said supporthaving a bearing formed therein, a hopper comprising a non-rotatable plate and a rotatable casing, the plate pivotally secured in saidbearing and `p-rovided with an opening therein, a chute fitting within said trough and extending within said opening, said chute extending beyond the upper end of the trough, and one of the side walls of the chute being greater in lengt-h than its opposite side walls so that a button dropping from the hopper into the chute will strike against one ofA the side walls before striking against the other.

19. ln a button feeding machine a trough, a chute within the trough, a plate mounted in hinged relation to the chute, said plate provided with an opening for the reception of the upper end o-f the chute, arotatable hopper casing on the pla-te, the side walls o-f the chut-e terminating a short distance from the upper end of the chute, and a wall in the upper edge of the plate for guiding a button into the chute as it approaches the saine, said plate and hopper `casing capable of being tilted .upwardly to provide free ac-4 cess to the chute.

20. In a button feeding machine a trough, a chute within the trough, a plate mounted in hinged relation to the trough and having a casing for enclosing the chute and trough, the said plate providedwithan opening for the reception of the upper end of the chute, a. rotatable hopper casing supported by said plate, the side walls of the chute terminating a short distance from the end of the chute and one of the side walls being longer than the other, and means in the form of a wall at one edge of the opening in the plate for guiding the button against the endy o-f the longer of the said side walls of the chute, So that the buttons will drop slightly before iinpinging against the opposite side wall of the casing, said plate adapted to be swung upwardly to thereby provide free access to the upper end of the chute. i 21. A feeding mechanism for the button attaching machines comprising a chute, a hopper in pivotal relation therewith, the hopper comprising a rotatable casing and a non-rotatable plate provided with an opening for the reception of the upper end of the chute, the side walls of the chute terminating' a short distance vfrom the upper 4end thereof, a. wall formed in the plate opposite the end of one of the side walls of the chute for guiding a button into the chute as it moves along said wall, and an auxiliary plate covering the opening in said plate' to assist in guiding the buttons into the chute, said nonrotatable plate capable of being tilted upwardly to afford free access tor thc chute, y

22. A button feeding mechanism co1nprising a chute, a plate pivotally mounted in relation thereto, a rotatable hopper casing on said plate, a portion of the upper'part of the plate being dished, thel saidplatcproe vided with an .opening cut through. the dished portion, thetop surface of the chute lying in a plane vparallel with the dished surface of the plate, and an auxiliary plate also extending along the upstanding wall of the dished portion so that as the hopper rotates buttons will dro-p within the chute and other buttons will slide along the dished portion to the bottom of the hopper, said first mentioned plate adapted to be tilted upwardly to remove any offending button from the opening in the pla-te and the chute.

23. A feeding mechanism for button attaching machines comprising a chute, a plate pivotally mounted with relation to said chute, the said plate having an opening therein for the reception of the upper end of said chute, the said plate being dished on the opposite sides of the opening, the upper surface of the chutev merging with the dished surface of the plate, the side walls of the chute being of such height at their end as to receive a button which lies in a proper receiving position, a rotatable casing iitting on said plate and bodily removably therefrom, an arm extending from said plate provided with pulleys and the casing having a groove around its periphery7 and a belt received in said groove and pulleys adapted to rotate said casing, said plate tiltable to remove an offending button from said chute.

24. A feeding' mechanism for button attaching machines comprising a chute, a plate pivotally mounted at its upper end and cooperating with said chute, the plate provided with a circular' platform, a rotatable hopper casing fitting over said platform and the height of the platform being such that it projects slightly above the bottoni surface of the casing to thereby form a small ledge for supporting the buttons as they areA carried to the top of the platform, the plate provided with an opening for the reception of the upper end of the chute, the ledge in the platform being brel-:cn near the opening in said plate to thus provide a guiding wall for the button into the chu e, and means for rotating the hopper casing, said hopper casing being adapted to tilt upwardly to afford free access to the chute,

25. In a button lfeeding mechanism, a chute, a non-rotatable plate mounted in pivotal relation to the chute, a rotatable hopper casing on said plate, a bottoni rini formed in the hopper casing having radial walls extending to a point near the inner portion of the rim, and a portion of the plate extending slightly above the inner upper surface of the rim to form a ledge for supporting the but-tons, the plate provided with an opening for the reception of the upper end of the chute, the ledge being' broken at the entrance of the chute to thereby permit a button to pass into the chute as the radial walls on the rim move away vfrom a descending but-ton, and said plate capable of being swung upwardly to afford free access to the chute. A

26. In a button feeding mechanism a support, a trough secured to said support, the upper end of the trough n'ierging into an arm, a bearing formed in said arm, a plate pivotally mounted in said bearing and having means formed thereon to enclose said trough when the plate is in its normal position, a chute formed in two sections in said trough, said plate having an opening, the upper end of the upper section of the chute registering with the opening' in said plate to thereby permit a button to pass into said chute, a. rotatable hopper casing on said plate, and means for rotatingthe hopper, said plate adapted to be raised to afford easy access to the chute without affecting the rotating means.

27. A feeding mechanism for button attaching machines comprising a chute, a rotatable hopper casing, and a bottom plate fitting within the casing, the bottom plate provided with an opening for alignment with said chute and being movable independently of the rotatable movement of the hopper casing so that an offending button may be removed from the chute.

28. A feeding mechanism for button attaching machines comprising a chute, a rotatable hopper casing, and al normally nonmovable bottom plate for the cas-ing, the bottom plate arranged with an opening for alignment with said chute and the plate` and chute so arranged thatl the chute may be exposed to view to remove an offending button from the chute.

29. Av feeding mechanism for button attaching machines comprising a chute, a rotatable hopper casing, and a separate plate forming a bottom for the casing normally covering said chute, the plate arranged with an opening to register with said chute, and the chute and plate arranged so that one of said parts may be swung to provide free access to said chute.

In testimony whereof I aiffinv my signature.

FORREST G. PURINTON. 

